Energetic and Economic Analyses of an LCPV/T Solar Hybrid Plant for a Sports Center Building in Mexico

This study presents a techno-economic performance evaluation of a hybrid low-concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (LCPV/T) plant, which operates in a student sports and wellness center building situated at a university campus in Mexico. The solar plant comprises 144 LCPV/T collectors based on a hybrid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Iván Acosta-Pazmiño, Carlos Rivera-Solorio, Miguel Gijón-Rivera
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/21/5681
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Summary:This study presents a techno-economic performance evaluation of a hybrid low-concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (LCPV/T) plant, which operates in a student sports and wellness center building situated at a university campus in Mexico. The solar plant comprises 144 LCPV/T collectors based on a hybridized version of a local parabolic trough technology. Dynamic thermal and electrical performance analyses were performed in the TRNSYS simulation studio. The results showed that the solar field could cover up to 72% of the hot water demand of the building during the summer season and 24% during the winter season. The hybrid system could annually save 7185 USD, accounting for heat (natural gas boiler) and electricity generation. However, the payback time was of 19.23 years, which was mainly attributed to a reduced natural gas price in Monterrey, Mexico. A new approach to evaluating the equivalent levelized cost of heat (<i>LCOH<sub>eq</sub></i>), is proposed. This results in an <i>LCOH<sub>eq</sub></i> of 0.065 USD/kWh, which is nearly equivalent to the <i>LCOH</i> of a natural gas-fired boiler (0.067 USD/kWh). Finally, the hybrid plant could achieve a specific CO<sub>2</sub>e emission reduction of 77.87 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e per square meter of the required installation area.
ISSN:1996-1073